Whitbread PLC, the parent company of Premier Inn, has expanded its London development team by appointing Sam Murphy as the new Project and Programme Manager.
This marks the fifth addition to Whitbread’s development team this year, as the company continues to invest in its expansion program across the UK and Ireland.
Sam will report to Whitbread’s Head of Construction (London & South) and will oversee the delivery of new Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn hotels across London and the broader South-East region.
The company currently operates over 100 Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn hotels within the M25 and is aiming to establish a presence or enhance its existing footprint in an additional 40 locations across London.
Simon Lancaster, head of construction for Whitbread in London, said: “London is a very attractive market for Premier Inn and our sister brand hub by Premier Inn. Our established network of trading hotels performs well and we see significant headroom to grow'
'budget brands make up a smaller proportion of the market in London compared to the UK as a whole we see significant headroom to grow.'
“Sam’s appointment strengthens our busy team of project managers who are focused on delivering the next generation of Premier Inn hotels for our customers. He will be hitting the ground running, working directly on our pipeline of freehold and leasehold construction projects across the capital and advising our in-house property acquisition team on the deliverability of new hotel developments.
“It is a challenging and important role and I’m looking forward to working with him on some of our most significant pipeline developments.”
Sam began his career in property agency and advanced through the ranks of leading global property consultancies before joining Whitbread. With 18 years of experience in development and project management, he now takes on the role of Project and Programme Manager.
Whitbread currently provides customers with over 85,500 Premier Inn bedrooms across the UK and Ireland and sees long-term potential for 125,000 bedrooms in these key markets. The company aims to expand its network to 98,000 operational rooms by FY30, leveraging its committed and future development pipeline, along with 3,500 extension bedrooms within its existing portfolio.
In London, Whitbread is currently active on-site or in advanced planning stages at three central locations. The company recently secured planning permission for a major 693-bedroom hub by Premier Inn development on The Strand, with construction anticipated to begin in 2025.
Sam’s appointment caps off a productive year of growth for Whitbread’s property team. Over the course of the year, the company has made a total of five new additions to its UK and Ireland property team, all in roles dedicated to expanding Whitbread’s hotel portfolio.